Israeli election 2006 Tuesday 3/28/2006

[JBigjake]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Israel
"Although Israel has two prominent political parties, Likud and Labor, no single party has ever achieved the 61 seats needed for a majority government. Since 1948, therefore, Israeli governments have always comprised coalitions. As of 2005, 13 political parties are represented in the Knesset, spanning both the political and religious spectra."
In the last election, 13 parties divided 120 seats! Only one party got more than 20! There are 31 political parties in this election! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11762151/
I've read that this will be the 17th election since 1948, although there have been 30 "governments"; apparently some new coalitions were formed without having to go to the voters.
IMO, the system has too low a threshhold (2%) to win seats. Also, the lack of districts and the requirement to vote for parties instead of individual candidates reduces accountability to constituents.

Coming soon: the Italian election thread!

[odessit19]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Israel
"Although Israel has two prominent political parties, Likud and Labor, no single party has ever achieved the 61 seats needed for a majority government. Since 1948, therefore, Israeli governments have always comprised coalitions. As of 2005, 13 political parties are represented in the Knesset, spanning both the political and religious spectra."
In the last election, 13 parties divided 120 seats! Only one party got more than 20! There are 31 political parties in this election! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11762151/
I've read that this will be the 17th election since 1948, although there have been 30 "governments"; apparently some new coalitions were formed without having to go to the voters.
IMO, the system has too low a threshhold (2%) to win seats. Also, the lack of districts and the requirement to vote for parties instead of individual candidates reduces accountability to constituents.

Coming soon: the Italian election thread!

If I could, I would vote for Liberman who has about 13 seats, then maybe Kadima or Netanyahu.

[JBigjake]

Polls will be opening soon:
http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/I/ISRAEL_ELECTIONS?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME

[yasik19]

more on the election.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060328/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_elections;_ylt=AvH3.kd9mXLRYVnp2xvyhUxvaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

[#10 Jersey]

There are already alleged voting irregularities in Florida and Ohio.

[yasik19]

There are already alleged voting irregularities in Florida and Ohio.

i blame the Jews.....oh, wait a minute.

[JBigjake]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060328/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_elections;_ylt=AvH3.kd9mXLRYVnp2xvyhUxvaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--
"According to the TV projections, Kadima would win 29-32 seats in the 120-member parliament, Labor 20-22 seats and Likud 11-12 seats."
If accurate, the two 'winners' combined will have about 50 seats. Getting 11 more for a thin majority means more dealmaking & instability.
http://www.optonline.net/News/Article/Feeds?CID=type%3Dxml%26channel%3D32%26article%3D17828537
"Success for Kadima has been defined as winning at least 35 of 120 seats in parliament. The party, which Olmert took over after Sharon lapsed into a coma following a Jan. 4 stroke, has been polling around 34 seats in recent days, down several seats from the start of the campaign. ... Labor, which favors territorial concessions, was expected to win about 20 seats" ...
"Right-wing parties, aligned with religious forces, hoped to form a "blocking majority" of 60 seats to prevent Olmert from following through" with his West Bank plans.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1777618
"Surprise showings were made by two marginal parties. The hard-line Israel Beitenu Party of Avigdor Lieberman, who advocates redrawing Israel's borders to exclude Israeli Arabs, was expected to win 12-14 seats, making it the third-largest party in parliament. Lieberman's party has two representatives in the old parliament. Lieberman was the chief aide to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Pensioners' Party, not represented in the last parliament, was expected to win 6-8 seats, and Kadima officials said the party was a natural coalition partner for Olmert"

[Anthony]

IMO, the system has too low a threshhold (2%) to win seats. Also, the lack of districts and the requirement to vote for parties instead of individual candidates reduces accountability to constituents.

I agree. Germany has the best system in this regard (the 2005 election fiascho notwithstanding). You have both a constituency tie, but also a national list, but to get proportional seats, you need to score 3 direct seats or 5% overall.


Coming soon: the Italian election thread!

I was reading one of Tim Parks books and he was talking about an election in Italy in the 1980s. At that time, Italy was governed by the same 5 party center-left (with a little right) coalition that ran the country from the 1960s. One of the parties casued the government to fall, but because the Parliament often used secret ballots, no one knew who was to blame. The election campaign made no reference to the record of the fallen government or the party platforms, but only to try and figure out who was to blame for the government falling.

After the election, the same 5 parties with the same number of seats ended up forming the next government.

[Rostam]

In the name of Democracy!

Since Israel has 1.5 million Arabs living within its borders as Israeli citizens, can someone tell us how many Arab candidates are in this election?

Thanx!

[Anthony]

In the name of Democracy!

Since Israel has 1.5 million Arabs living within its borders as Israeli citizens, can someone tell us how many Arab candidates are in this election?

Thanx!

Not sure, but quite a few.

The Labour Party elected one on their list (and traditionally had a following among some Israeli Moslems).

There are several smaller mostly Arab parties. One is the old Communist Party, the other an Arab nationalist party. They both won some seats.

[BenReilly]

Wow, it looks like Yisrael Beiteinu got more votes than Likud. I'd much prefer Iranian Monitor accuse people of being Yisrael Beitnudniks.

[odessit19]

Wow, it looks like Yisrael Beiteinu got more votes than Likud. I'd much prefer Iranian Monitor accuse people of being Yisrael Beitnudniks.

Me too, Liberman is cool - but Israel is not ready for a Moldovan Jew just yet. Looks like Kadima won - we'll see what happens.
At the same time, for the first time Palestinian terrorists used katusha rockets (well they are actually called Grad - newwer ones) to shell Ashkelon from Gaza strip. We'll see if Olmert steps up or sits down

[Anthony]

Me too, Liberman is cool - but Israel is not ready for a Moldovan Jew just yet.

So, that is what Shurik has been up to.

[yasik19]

So, that is what Shurik has been up to.

lol. can't spread the love as this stinking rep police put me on a rep parole for 24 hours.

[JBigjake]

I'd much prefer Iranian Monitor accuse people of being Yisrael Beitnudniks.
Easy for you to say! :D

[CrewDust]

What is the Pensioner's Party's platform?

[JBigjake]

What is the Pensioner's Party's platform?
I would have thought that was self-evident! :D

[JBigjake]

Israel has 1.5 million Arabs living within its borders as Israeli citizens, can someone tell us how many Arab candidates are in this election?
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D998AD70-AEF2-45AB-9455-B07FC6C42134.htm "despite Israeli-Arabs numbering 20% of the population, they hold only eight out of 120 parliamentary seats."

[JBigjake]

http://www.optonline.net/Article/Feeds?CID=channel%3D32%26article%3D17838066
"Kadima won only 28 seats in the election, less than the 35 it had hoped for ... center-left Labor captured 20 seats and the hawkish Likud ... plummeted to 11 seats, making it only the fifth-largest party ... Shas, a party catering to Orthodox Jews of Middle Eastern ancestry ... won 13 seats; Yisrael Beitenu, a Russian immigrants' party that wants to redraw Israel's map by transferring Arab towns to Palestinian control ... 12 seats; and the new Pensioners' Party ... won seven seats. ... Arab parties ... won 10 seats."
(this only totals 101 of 120)

"Hawkish parties ... fared poorly, winning just 32 seats." (including Likud's 11)

[Sagy]

In the name of Democracy!

Since Israel has 1.5 million Arabs living within its borders as Israeli citizens, can someone tell us how many Arab candidates are in this election?

Thanx!
There are three mainly Arab parties in the 17th Knesset (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knesset):
United Arab List (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_List) 4 seats
Hadash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadash) 3 seats
Balad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balad_%28Israel%29) 3 seats
Other Arab parties didn't get any seats in the 17h Knesset.

Some of the other parties have Arabs on thier list as well.

Overall, Democracy in action.